In Madhya Pradesh, a health scheme that once promised to bring big relief to thousands of Government employees has now turned into a political casualty.
The Ayushman Cashless Health Scheme, prepared in 2019 under the Congress government led by Chief Minister Kamal Nath, was designed to provide state employees, teachers, municipal staff and officials in autonomous institutions with cashless treatment of up to `5 lakh annually for routine ailments and `10 lakh for critical illnesses.
It was hailed at the time as a major welfare measure for employees, but six years later, it remains only on papers. Successive BJP Governments, first under Shivraj Singh Chouhan and now Mohan Yadav, have allowed the scheme to languish without any serious effort to implement it.
Employees leaders believe the reason is purely political. Since the scheme carries the stamp of the Congress government, the BJP is unwilling to execute it and allow its rival to take credit. “It is unfortunate that employees are made to suffer only because of political differences,” said Umeshankar Tiwari, General Secretary of the Class III Employees Union. He recalled that the Kamal Nath government had not only prepared the scheme but had also cleared it for launch, yet once the BJP came to power, the file was kept pending. According to him, the BJP governments could have easily modified or expanded the plan if they wished, but instead chose to stall it altogether.
The situation has left employees dependent on the old reimbursement system, which is lengthy and complicated. Hospitalisation claims of up to `5 lakh require clearance by a divisional-level panel headed by the dean of a government hospital, while bills between `5 lakh and `20 lakh are forwarded to a higher committee led by the Health Services Director. Outpatient treatment is capped at just Rs 20,000 per year, with an additional monthly ceiling of Rs 8,000 in special cases, subject to approval by the district medical board. Employees say this procedure not only delays treatment but also forces families to arrange money in advance during emergencies, defeating the very purpose of healthcare support.
What has further angered employees is that despite repeated promises, nothing has changed. In October 2023, the state cabinet under Shivraj Singh Chouhan decided to explore bringing employees under Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, and in February 2024, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav even formed a nine-member committee under the Chief Secretary to study the matter. But even after more than a year, no order has been issued. Staff view this as yet another attempt to push the issue further down the line without real intent to act.
The Congress, on its part, accuses the BJP of punishing employees for political reasons. Employee unions echo this sentiment, saying they care little which party brought the scheme and only want relief from medical expenses. “We don’t care whether it was Congress or BJP that introduced the scheme. What matters is that employees and their families need cashless treatment. Sadly, politics is being played at the cost of our health,” Tiwari remarked.
With the issue dragging on for six years, the Ayushman Cashless Health Scheme has become not just a welfare concern but also a political flashpoint in Madhya Pradesh. Employees say they will continue to raise their voice until the scheme is implemented in its true form.